	Olga Poisik I am a fifth-year graduate student in the department of Neuroscience and I joined the Smith lab in the summer of 2001. My research interests focus on how metabotropic glutamate receptors modulate the flow of information through the basal ganglia circuit. I received my Bachelor's Degree from Brandeis University in Waltham, MA in 1997 where I majored in Neuroscience and Studio Fine Arts. I completed my senior research thesis in the Lab of Dr. Michael Rosbash which focused on elucidating the function roles of TIM protein in circadian behavior of fruit flies Drosophila Melanogestar. Before coming to Emory in the summer of 1999, I worked as a research assistant in the laboratory of Dr. Sandra Mazur at the Mount Sinai School in New York City. There, I studied the wound healing mechanisms in the culture models of damage to cornea. The primary objective of my thesis is to evaluate the functions of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in modulating neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission in the rat globus pallidus. The rodent globus pallidus (GP) is equivalent to the external globus pallidus (GPe) in primates and is an intrinsic component of the indirect pathway of the basal ganglia circuitry. The activity of the indirect pathway is thought to be disrupted in Hungtinton's and Parkinson's diseases, both of which are neurological disorders that affect motor and cognitive functions. In my studies, I use whole cell-patch technique to study the effects of mGluR activation. Metabotropic GluRs comprise a family of G-protein coupled receptors that have been demonstrated to have profound and long-lasting effects throughout the CNS. Activation of mGluRs can have to a wide range of effects that are often nucleus-specific. Like some other G-coupled receptors, functions of mGluRs are not always conserved throughout the brain. This makes mGluRs very interesting to study. Because of their broad functions in CNS, mGluRs have also emerged as potential therapeutic targets in treating a number of neurological disorders that include schizophrenia, pain neuropathies, and Parkinson's disease. I hope that my research can contribute towards our understanding of mGluR physiology as well identifying new pharmaceutical agents that can be beneficial in treating neurological disorders. Relevant References: 1. Conn, P.J. and J.P. Pin, Pharmacology and functions of metabotropic glutamate receptors. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol, 1997. 37: p. 205-37. 2. Coutinho, V. and T. Knopfel, Metabotropic glutamate receptors: electrical and chemical signaling properties. Neuroscientist, 2002. 8(6): p. 551-61. 3. Marino MJ, Conn PJ. Modulation of the basal ganglia by metabotropic glutamate receptors: potential for novel therapeutics. Curr Drug Target CNS Neurol Disord. 2002 Aug;1(4): 239-50. Fellowships and Scholarships: Brandeis University: " Fall 1996: Undergraduate Research Program Award from Brandeis University. " Summer 1996: Howard Hughes Fellowship Award from Howard Hughes Research Institute.Emory University: " National Research Service Award (NRSA) from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Publications: Research Papers: Poisik, O. V., Mananioni G., Treynelis, P., Smith, Y., and Conn, P.J. Distinct functional roles of the metabotropic glutamate receptors 1 and 5 in the rat globus pallidus J Neurosci. (2003) 23(1):122-30. Maltseva, O., Folger, P., Zekaria, D., Petridou, S., Masur, S.K. Fibroblast growth factor reversal of the corneal myofibroblast phenotype. (2001) IOVS, 42:2490-2495. S. Petridou, O. Maltseva, S. Spanakis, S.K. Masur. TGF receptor expression and smad2 localization are cell density dependent in fibroblasts. (2000) IOVS, 41 pp. 89-95. J. Rutila, O. Maltseva, M. Rosbash. The timSL mutant affects a restricted portion of the drosophila melanogester circadian cycle. (1998) J. Biol. Rhythm, 5 pp. 380-92. Book Chapters: Poisik, O., Smith, Y., and Conn, P.J. (2002) Metabotropic glutamate receptors in the globus pallidus. Basal Ganglia VII, Plenum Press: New York (in press). Reviews: Marino, M.J., Awad, H., Poisik, O., Wittmann, M., and Conn, P.J. (2002) Localization and physiological roles of metabotropic glutamate receptors in the indirect pathway. Amino Acids;23(1-3):185-91. Abstracts: Poisik, O., Conn, P.J., and Smith, Y., Metabotropic glutamate receptors modulate excitatory synaptic transmission in the rat globus pallidus. (November 2003) So. Neurosci. Abstr. 33:205.9. Poisik, O., Mannaioni, G., Traynelis, S., Smith, Y., & Conn, P.J. . Disctinct functions of the group I metabotropic glutamate receptors 1 and 5 in the rat globus pallidus. Abstract presented at the 2002 International mGluR meeting. Poisik , O., Marino, M.J., and Conn, P.J. Distinct functional roles of the group I metabotropic glutamate receptors 1 and 5 in the rat globus pallidus. (December 2001) ACNP Abstr. 40. Poisik, O., Smith, Y., and Conn, P.J. Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors 1 and 5 have distinct functional roles in the rat globus pallidus. (November 2001) So. Neurosci. Abstr. 31:291.15 Poisik O., and Conn, P.J. Post-synaptic roles of metabotropic glutamate receptors in rat globus pallidus. (February, 2001) International Basal Ganglia Conference Abstr. 7:18. Maltseva, O., and Conn, P.J. Funtional roles of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors in two neuronal populations in rat globus pallidus. (November, 2000). Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 30:740.17 Haque, R., Maltseva, O., Ivanova, T., and Iuvone, P.M. Dopamine D1 receptor expression in cultured human and monkey retinal pigment epithelial cells. (May, 2000), Res. for Vision and Ophthalm. Abstr. 41:4480. Duvoisin, R.M., Zang, C., Maltseva, O.V., Berntson, A., Taylor, W.R. Functional properties of bipolar cells in mGluR8-defficient transgenic mice. (May, 1999). Res. for Vision and Ophthalm. Abstr. 40:2326. Masur, S.K., Zekaria, D., Maltseva, O. TGF induced translocation of a transcription factor, smad2, and myofibroblast differentiation are cell density dependent. (May, 1999). Res. for Vision and Ophthalm. Abstr. 40:4012. top of page

Olga Poisik

I am a fifth-year graduate student in the department of Neuroscience and I joined the Smith lab in the summer of 2001. My research interests focus on how metabotropic glutamate receptors modulate the flow of information through the basal ganglia circuit.

I received my Bachelor's Degree from Brandeis University in Waltham, MA in 1997 where I majored in Neuroscience and Studio Fine Arts. I completed my senior research thesis in the Lab of Dr. Michael Rosbash which focused on elucidating the function roles of TIM protein in circadian behavior of fruit flies Drosophila Melanogestar.

Before coming to Emory in the summer of 1999, I worked as a research assistant in the laboratory of Dr. Sandra Mazur at the Mount Sinai School in New York City. There, I studied the wound healing mechanisms in the culture models of damage to cornea.

The primary objective of my thesis is to evaluate the functions of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in modulating neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission in the rat globus pallidus. The rodent globus pallidus (GP) is equivalent to the external globus pallidus (GPe) in primates and is an intrinsic component of the indirect pathway of the basal ganglia circuitry. The activity of the indirect pathway is thought to be disrupted in Hungtinton's and Parkinson's diseases, both of which are neurological disorders that affect motor and cognitive functions. In my studies, I use whole cell-patch technique to study the effects of mGluR activation.

Metabotropic GluRs comprise a family of G-protein coupled receptors that have been demonstrated to have profound and long-lasting effects throughout the CNS. Activation of mGluRs can have to a wide range of effects that are often nucleus-specific. Like some other G-coupled receptors, functions of mGluRs are not always conserved throughout the brain. This makes mGluRs very interesting to study.

Because of their broad functions in CNS, mGluRs have also emerged as potential therapeutic targets in treating a number of neurological disorders that include schizophrenia, pain neuropathies, and Parkinson's disease. I hope that my research can contribute towards our understanding of mGluR physiology as well identifying new pharmaceutical agents that can be beneficial in treating neurological disorders.

Relevant References:

1. Conn, P.J. and J.P. Pin, Pharmacology and functions of metabotropic glutamate receptors. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol, 1997. 37: p. 205-37.
2. Coutinho, V. and T. Knopfel, Metabotropic glutamate receptors: electrical and chemical signaling properties. Neuroscientist, 2002. 8(6): p. 551-61.
3. Marino MJ, Conn PJ. Modulation of the basal ganglia by metabotropic glutamate receptors: potential for novel therapeutics. Curr Drug Target CNS Neurol Disord. 2002 Aug;1(4): 239-50.

Fellowships and Scholarships:

Brandeis University:

" Fall 1996: Undergraduate Research Program Award from Brandeis University.
" Summer 1996: Howard Hughes Fellowship Award from Howard Hughes Research Institute.Emory University:

" National Research Service Award (NRSA) from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

Publications:

Research Papers:

Poisik, O. V., Mananioni G., Treynelis, P., Smith, Y., and Conn, P.J. Distinct functional roles of the metabotropic glutamate receptors 1 and 5 in the rat globus pallidus J Neurosci. (2003) 23(1):122-30.

Maltseva, O., Folger, P., Zekaria, D., Petridou, S., Masur, S.K. Fibroblast growth factor reversal of the corneal myofibroblast phenotype. (2001) IOVS, 42:2490-2495.

S. Petridou, O. Maltseva, S. Spanakis, S.K. Masur. TGF receptor expression and smad2 localization are cell density dependent in fibroblasts. (2000) IOVS, 41 pp. 89-95.

J. Rutila, O. Maltseva, M. Rosbash. The timSL mutant affects a restricted portion of the drosophila melanogester circadian cycle. (1998) J. Biol. Rhythm, 5 pp. 380-92.

Book Chapters:

Poisik, O., Smith, Y., and Conn, P.J. (2002) Metabotropic glutamate receptors in the globus pallidus. Basal Ganglia VII, Plenum Press: New York (in press).

Reviews:

Marino, M.J., Awad, H., Poisik, O., Wittmann, M., and Conn, P.J. (2002) Localization and physiological roles of metabotropic glutamate receptors in the indirect pathway. Amino Acids;23(1-3):185-91.

Abstracts:

Poisik, O., Conn, P.J., and Smith, Y., Metabotropic glutamate receptors modulate excitatory synaptic transmission in the rat globus pallidus. (November 2003) So. Neurosci. Abstr. 33:205.9.

Poisik, O., Mannaioni, G., Traynelis, S., Smith, Y., & Conn, P.J. . Disctinct functions of the group I metabotropic glutamate receptors 1 and 5 in the rat globus pallidus. Abstract presented at the 2002 International mGluR meeting.

Poisik , O., Marino, M.J., and Conn, P.J. Distinct functional roles of the group I metabotropic glutamate receptors 1 and 5 in the rat globus pallidus. (December 2001) ACNP Abstr. 40.

Poisik, O., Smith, Y., and Conn, P.J. Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors 1 and 5 have distinct functional roles in the rat globus pallidus. (November 2001) So. Neurosci. Abstr. 31:291.15

Poisik O., and Conn, P.J. Post-synaptic roles of metabotropic glutamate receptors in rat globus pallidus. (February, 2001) International Basal Ganglia Conference Abstr. 7:18.

Maltseva, O., and Conn, P.J. Funtional roles of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors in two neuronal populations in rat globus pallidus. (November, 2000). Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 30:740.17

Haque, R., Maltseva, O., Ivanova, T., and Iuvone, P.M. Dopamine D1 receptor expression in cultured human and monkey retinal pigment epithelial cells. (May, 2000), Res. for Vision and Ophthalm. Abstr. 41:4480.

Duvoisin, R.M., Zang, C., Maltseva, O.V., Berntson, A., Taylor, W.R. Functional properties of bipolar cells in mGluR8-defficient transgenic mice. (May, 1999). Res. for Vision and Ophthalm. Abstr. 40:2326.

Masur, S.K., Zekaria, D., Maltseva, O. TGF induced translocation of a transcription factor, smad2, and myofibroblast differentiation are cell density dependent. (May, 1999). Res. for Vision and Ophthalm. Abstr. 40:4012.

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